Lokthu Tales: The Warrior at the Castle of Chaos
By SW Carter
The warrior, who displayed a raised flag of peace mounted on the back of his horse, rode valiantly into a destroyed city. He slowed his steed to a trot as he observed something shocking, nothing at all. Not a soul in sight populated the once bustling city of Arcasis, the very capitol of the long standing enemy of his realm. His flag, of the grand city of Ordais, went unobserved. The Knight Reece, the head of the ‘Knight’s Order of Ordais,’ felt nothing but shock as his very breath abandoned his chest. How could such a city now stand emptied?
Ordais was losing the war, and to their knowledge no attacks from other nations threated the proud Arcasis. With all the rage Reece’s knights put out, they lost every major battle. Reece was the only hope for the nation; his negotiating skills were unparalleled. His dexterity with the sword demanded great respect. Ordais’ plan felt strong, negotiating a valuable gold mine to Arcasis would grant them a possible peace treaty while they regained proper footing. Maybe, if his skills were up to the test, he would get back the prisoners his nation needed so badly.
Reece slowed his horse to a stop as he reached the castle at the top of the Arcasis hill-side, and unmounted the white beast. He gave a heavy pat to the side of the horse, attempting to calm her from now heavy shaking. “Whoa there, girl, whoa there.” Gazing up at the humungous castle gate, he noticed it stood open and unguarded. “What in the underworld happened here?” He began his journey up the stairs, shouting back to his house—“Won’t be long. A meeting with ghosts sounds easy enough.”
Staying alert, Reece scanned the entrance, candlelight still danced in the halls. Whatever caused his enemies to leave, it was extremely recent. He crept down the passageways glancing through each side-room, remembering the few times he marched them previously. Anytime they tried to prevent oncoming war, everything simply got worse. He often felt lucky to leave this place with his head still on his shoulders.
What stood out the most in Reece’s past memories were the strange tapestries and paintings that decorated the halls; all showing places and structures that never existed to his knowledge. Yet the Arcasis’ nobles always talked about them as if they visited them daily. He began to wish silently to himself that he pried more in those days, but he always felt a tinge of fear anytime the subject came up. He wrote it off as strange fancies of a very queer people.
Reece found himself thinking that he wanted those decorations back. The fact that now, as he searched, they were all missing, set his soul into a chill like none a man could describe with simple words. The idea that these vanished, and no souls passed him on the road into town, made no sense. Why did he not see a mass of people traveling by him?
Finally, Reece reached the throne room of Arcasis, a grand hall with a spectacular ceiling which made visitors feel small by comparison. He breathed deeply, and passed through with a caution that could make the thieves of great epics feel jealous. He hardly saw in the abyssal shrouded room, only lit by his candle and high windows only catching the remaining rays of the falling sun. The throne itself only appeared as a deep shadow in the back of the room.
A loud, pain-filled moan broke his concentration, and caused him to unsheathe his sword. He pointed his blade and the candle in the sound’s direction, “Show yourself, friend!” Shuffling slowly forward, he continued his pleads as his light began to illuminate the figure. “I am the Knight Reece, ordained by the Goddess Queen of Ordais, and I want no harm to come to you. However, I will defend myself if I must, speak!”
Reece only heard a weakened, broken breath in response to him. Despite his efforts, he felt himself shake with adrenaline and fear. He continued forward, the light flickering and nearly going out more than once. He gave a gulp, “I warn you friend; many fear my skills with the blade.” Finally, the light illuminated in full the back of a large, purple cape decorated with the emblem of Arcasis. A crown stood atop the figure, and Reece began to relax. “King John, by the grace of the goddess…” His relaxed his shoulders and dropped his sword by his side. “You frightened me right out of my pauldrons, are you alright?” He strode forth with a casual tone to his voice.
“S—T—O—P” a voice vaguely recognizable, but in an unusual and unworldly cadence, shot from the king, and stopped the approaching knight in his tracks.
Reece tried to speak, but his voice entirely left him. He felt as if his very heart now struggled to beat. Breaking through in a hushed tone, he continued his questioning, “My Lord, I am here to help. Where are your guards?”
“T-They…” The King tried to speak, but it’s almost if something was stopping him. As if his voice was being strangled by some other presence in the room, although no other form could be seen. A sound of lip smacking and spittle echoed through the halls, and then a long silence followed.
Reece, summoning courage from the depth of his warrior spirit, slowly began to walk forward again. “My Lord, I mean you no harm. I have come to negotiate as promised. We can shelter you back in Ordais. Our people break no oaths.” He lifted his sword once more, unsure of what to make of the situation.
“Orda…Ordais,” repeated the King, and then began moving as if to laugh, although no sound emerged. Just as the Knight reached him, his head snapped backwards, the crown rolled from his head as his neck extended into the unnatural position. He stunned the knight into a frozen statue, as a long tongue rolled from his mouth. He probed his own empty eye sockets, and tightened skin, shuddering with laughter again. “N—O…Ordais is not-safe!” A loud shriek rang out as tears rolled from his face, and his body turned around with a snap, exposing a decaying form, four arms, and three legs. The shrieking rose and then morphed into a heavy laughter, the sound of the voice no longer resembling the celebrated king.
Reece stood shocked in place as one of the disgusting arms of the creature struck out. He attempted to deflect it, instinct snapping in just-in-time. However, he felt his sword fly from his hand, bashed away by the attacker’s heavy might. Dropping the candle, he quickly turned, and then attempted to get away as he two hands grab his pauldrons. The candle snuffed out as he felt the hands grow over his shoulders, bones crackling with the other-worldly feat, and then long finger nails digging into him. He quickly pulled out a knife from his belt, and struck out at the hands to no avail, screaming in pain and fear.
Reece’s voice was cut short as the creatures long tongue wrapped around his neck. He choked as he continued to try and free his shoulders. As his air flow grew narrow, he switched targets, blindly striking at the tongue. He cut the tongue from his throat, scratching himself in the process. He felt the creatures grips loosen, and then found himself able to shove the sword into the gaps beneath his own armor. He cut several times, quickly finding the straps holding his shoulder armor in place. Desperately cutting himself several times in the process, he finally cut the armor loose, and broke free into a full sprint to the exit of the castle. A maddening laugh chased him the entire way, repeating “I’ve tasted your blood! There is nowhere safe!”
Reece broke from the castle to the sweet caress of the dusk air. His loyal steed still stood facing away from the castle, knowing her owner’s panicked intention. He mounted the beast, and they both fled the city with an incomparable haste. He didn’t stop riding at full pace until the horse he rode upon absolutely refused to go on, slowing and finally quitting to drink from a stream.
Unmounting and washing his face, he felt paranoia still grasping at his mind. He also still felt the slimy tongue at his throat, no matter how many times he cleaned it. Worst of all, he heard the creatures voice in his mind repeat the phrase ‘I’ve tasted your blood.’ He needed to return to Ordais. Return to the safety, a concept somewhere deep in his animal mind knew to be lost.
